title: Generation of sub-diffraction-limited pure longitudinal magnetization by the inverse Faraday effect by tightly focusing an azimuthally polarized vortex beam.
abstract: In this Letter we report on the generation of sub-diffraction-limited pure longitudinal magnetization in optomagnetic materials. The interaction between polarization singularities of cylindrically polarized beams and optical vortices in the tight focus of a high numerical-aperture objective as well as the induced magnetic fields through the inverse Faraday effect are investigated. A pure longitudinal magnetization distribution throughout the entire focal plane, which has a 15% reduction in the lateral full width at half-maximum, is achieved by tightly focusing an azimuthally polarized vortex beam.
authors.forename: Yunshan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiangping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gu